Technology has been a catalyst for a total revolution of the career landscape. With every new tech advancement, a new business opportunity arises, shaping and shifting how and where we work.
With our growing screen dependency and an ever-pressing desire to do things differently, the digital era is opening windows of opportunities everywhere and creating jobs that were unheard of ten years ago.
Here’s a look at careers that are on the rise in 2021 and beyond!
#1 CryptoCurrency Roles
Careers in cryptocurrency are fast becoming some of the most sought-after positions. From project managers to data scientists and miners, the range and diversity of opportunities in this business field are beyond what anyone could have predicted.
Cryptocurrency might have been in its infancy stage in 2010, but fast forward ten years, and they’re all but taking over.
#2 Data Scientist
The Harvard Business Review published “Data Scientist: The Sexiest Jobs of the 21st Century” in 2012. Eight years ago, the supply of skilled data scientists and Big Data analysts was almost non-existent. In recent years, however, the role of data scientists has become increasingly popular.
It comes as no surprise, really: experts predict that worldwide data will grow 61% by 2025, which creates a window of opportunity for skilled professionals that can analyze, process, and make sense of all this data.
#3 UX Designers
Ten years ago, customer experience wasn’t as significant on a digital level, but with more consumers turning to online shopping, a website’s usability is more important than it has ever been. And that is exactly what User Experience (UX) focuses on.
Search engines have altered their algorithms to rank sites based on how user-friendly they are, and to stand out, companies need professionals that can help optimize their websites and enhance UX.
#4 Influencers
Social media and influencers have become like pineapple on pizza; you either love it or hate it. Influencers aren’t a new phenomenon, and celebrities have always been endorsing brands, but ten years ago, this wasn’t a full-time career option.
Today, influencers are earning thousands of dollars for a single post on Instagram, and you can now even enroll to study towards a degree to become a social media influencer.
#5 App Developers and Designers
The first iPhone hit the market in 2017, closely followed by Android smartphones, and now, almost half of the world’s adult population own a smartphone. Thanks to the iOS App Store and Google Play, apps have been brought to the digital economy’s forefront. App designers are responsible for the creative end of new apps while developers work with designers to ensure the apps we all use are functional and efficient.
Just like professional language translators, developers translate the app’s design into code to ensure the user experience always meets the requirements of the target audience. The demand for app developers has seen phenomenal growth over the last decade, and it doesn’t look like the demand will dip any time soon.
#6 Cloud Computing Specialist
You might have been baffled by what someone meant if they mentioned that they worked in the cloud ten years ago. But today, most of us are aware of what cloud computing, Google’s flagship software approach, is.
Cloud computing went mainstream in 2018, and by the first half of 2019, revenues across seven cloud service and infrastructure segments stood at more than $150 billion. The rapidly expanding cloud ecosystem has directly impacted the demand for skilled cloud computing specialists, a professional title rarely heard of 10 years ago.
#7 Genetics Counsellors
Somewhat new to the healthcare field, genetics counselors take an in-depth look at an individual’s history to determine the probability of genetic disorders or congenital disabilities in future children. These professionals can also assess the development of genetic diseases.
Healthcare didn’t have this much of a preventative approach ten years ago, but as innovation and technological advances keep growing, this is a career option that will probably continue to develop in the years to come.
#8 Chief Listening Officer
More advanced than a social media manager, a chief listening officer is responsible for keeping an eye on social media and face-to-face communication with customers. CLO’s are responsible for providing reports that point out the effectiveness of a business’ communication and marketing strategies.
If you called yourself a CLO ten years ago, people might have had a vacant look on their faces, but today, this is a highly sought-after role that can bring in thousands of dollars every month if you have the right set of skills.
#9 Market Research Data Miner
Market research data miners trawl through the marketing and interaction data of businesses to provide reports on what works and what doesn’t for specific products and services. The right market research data miner can help increase a company’s performance by providing regular, data-based reports on performance, for local or international markets.
This career option, like many of the others in this post, is something that was integrated within other roles ten years ago but has now become a title of its own.
#10 Drone Operator
As unmanned aerial vehicles become more popular with companies like Facebook, Google, and Amazon, drone operators are incredibly high in demand. The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International projects that 100,000 new jobs will be created in this field by 2025, a rise in demand that nobody saw coming ten years ago.
Final Thoughts
With technology moving at the speed of light, the jobs of today might not be relevant in ten years, just like jobs we mentioned here were mostly unheard of ten years ago. Jobs that were off the radar in 2010 are now shaping how businesses perform in the digital economy.
These career options are real, and although some of them are still relatively new, they are here to stay, and all provide the workforce of the future with viable routes to pursue.